Under the Surface
by Darlantana
Summary: Splinter is gone and it seems as though the guys are ready to move on with their lives, Leonardo most of all. But Raphael isn't convinced. He watches his big brother, wondering what lies just beneath the surface.
1. Chapter 1

Thanks so much to all of you that reviewed my first story!

Here's another story from me--call it a working title :D

I've read so many stories where Leo was suicidal that I decided to write one for myself--only a liiiitle bit different.

Thanks to Akima, it has been brought to my attention that there is an age difference between chapters 1 and 4. The Turtles are 18, not 20, sorry! Thanks Akima!

**_Disclaimer: _**I don't own the TMNT. If wishes were wings...I'd be in orbit.

* * *

Splinter's death was difficult. They all knew it would be. It had always seemed like the aged rat would defy all natural laws like he usually did and live forever. But it was not to be. And for Raph, it was still too soon. 

The eighteen-year-old stretched, glancing around at the near empty dinner table. He could hear Don and Mike in the other room, arguing good-naturedly over watching the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge on Discovery or The Tangler on Chiller. Those two had recovered the quickest. Raph figured it was Mike's nature to see the positive side of things, as well as Don's to see the scientific. As for himself, well…he never understood half the things that were wrong with Splinter, but he did know that age and one too many battles might have had something to do with it. None of them had any idea how long rats lived—even mutant ones—and Splinter had been alive much longer than the rest of them.

However, his thoughts weren't solely on Splinter—they lingered on the silent figure sitting to his right at the table, staring contemplatively into his ceramic tea mug.

Raph had always figured that when their sensei finally left them that Leo would take it the hardest. He was, after all, closest to the old rat. Not that they all weren't close, but Leo and Splinter were very much alike and they understood one another on a deeper level. So when the Master Splinter had finally moved on, they had all watched Leonardo like he was a bomb about to explode.

But he didn't. He'd wept with them, grieved with them, and seemed at peace with it. Just like he had been when he'd returned from his sojourn with the Ancient One. And he'd taken over Splinter's responsibilities without a hitch. Not taking the old rat's place—but filling in the gap with his presence, just being there, and keeping them on track.

But Raph wasn't convinced. He knew from his own experience that sometimes people hid things, kept them from others to keep them safe. He knew his big brother was prone to that sort of thing. And when the cork blew on people like that, the results could be ugly. So he kept a watchful eye out. Just in case.

"You could have done it, you know."

Leo's voice broke into his thoughts, startling him. "What?"

"Been the leader. You could have."

Raph couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was he right? Had the cork finally popped? The thought made his blood run cold. He cleared his throat. "What are you talking about?"

"You have always been strong, Raphael. Stronger than me." Leo continued as if he hadn't heard him, his voice clear and quiet. "I'd always wondered why he chose me. It wasn't until much later that I realized Sensei knew something I didn't. He knew _us_. It's who we are."

Raph was getting more freaked out by the minute. "Leo, what—" He cut off as his eldest brother drew a katana in one motion, bringing the blade to rest on his free palm, his other hand gracing the hilt. Leonardo looked into his reflection in the steel, before resting the hilt against his knee and running a finger down the shimmering blade.

"Just like he knew what weapons would suit us, too. What colors."

Raph had no idea what to do, now. He considered yelling for Donny, but he didn't want to push Leo further if he didn't have to. So he just nodded and said, "Yeah, blue for your calmness, purple for Don's logic, orange for Mikey's fun. What does that have to do with why you're leader?"

Leo smiled, still admiring the sharp edge of his weapon. _Admiring it too much_, Raph thought. He debated on the merits of taking it away from his brother right now, but again decided against it. It would be wiser to see where this went. Then he could take proper action.

Leo continued. "You forgot yourself, Raph. Red for fire. Passion. Loyalty. Temper. And in a funny way, freedom." He finally looked up from the katana and met Raphael's eyes. "And that's the crux of it. You have all the right stuff, but in exchange you'd have to give up the one thing that means the most to you. So Sensei chose me, because he already knew that I didn't need to make the same sacrifice."

"Leo," Raph began, trying to choose his words carefully. "I used ta be jealous of ya, I admit it. But not no more. You're my bro and I'd follow ya anywhere."

Leo blinked at him, seeming surprised. Then he laughed softly. "I know. I just…" He stopped for a minute, then stood, sheathing his sword. "I just wanted you to know that you are important, too. And…that if it came down to it, you could do just as good a job as me. Maybe better."

Raph worked his jaw, but no sound came out. This was it. Leo finally cracked. He wanted to jump up, wanted to shake his brother, tell him that thinking like this got him nowhere, to do…something. But he wasn't sure _what_ to do. So he just sat there, as Leo smiled again at him, patted him on the shoulder, and left the room. He was still sitting there when Leo quelled the argument still going on and murmured a quiet goodnight to his other brothers.

He sat there for a good long while after that, after Don and Mike went to sleep, analyzing the conversation, wondering what his oldest brother was thinking. He didn't _seem_ crazy. In fact, he seemed his normal self, if a bit introspective. He couldn't be thinking…_that_…could he? Not Leo, but…should he do something? Some kind of intervention or…or…what? What could he do that wouldn't set Leo off? They always rubbed each other the wrong way. Should he tell Donny?

_And ruin his sleep?_ A chiding voice sounded in his head. _You're being paranoid. This is _Leo_ we're talking about, remember_. Still…

In the morning, Raph told himself firmly. He'd check on Leo and watch over him all night, just in case. Then he could get it out in the morning, after everyone else had a good night's sleep. Decided, Raph rose to his feet and hurried down the hall, stopping in front of Leo's door. His brother was a notoriously light sleeper, so he eased the door open as quietly as he could and risked a peek inside.

Leo was a dim shape in the darkness. He didn't stir, even when Raph opened the door a bit wider and slipped inside. Making his way over to his big brother's bed, Raph was relieved to hear soft breaths, even with sleep. He sighed, then silently made his way over to the far wall and slid down it, settling into a lotus position. He would keep watch. All night. He did not notice when sleep claimed him.

When Raph woke up the next morning, he stretched, feeling the lazy swing of his hammock beneath him. Wait—hammock? Leo! He sat up so abruptly he upset the contraption and it dumped him unceremoniously on the hard sewer floor. He didn't even have the breath to curse as he scrambled clumsily to his feet and sprinted out of his room, skidding to a halt in front of Leo's door. He flung it open and ran inside, terrified by what he would see.

None of the horrifying images his mind had conjured in the seconds from his room to his brother's greeted his eyes, but another just as terrifying—and just like Leo. The bed was made, all was in perfect order…but Leonardo was gone.

* * *

Just fair warning--I read. A lot. And most of the stuff I read has cliffhangers. So I do, as well :D 

Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

Cold terror seized Raph like a vice, threatening to freeze his muscles, but he shoved it aside and made himself think logically. Leo was an early riser. He could be somewhere else in the lair. Heart in his throat, he hurried down the stairs.

He checked the dojo, the kitchen, living room and bathroom, and finally stood before the metal door that led to the sewers. The metal door that was slightly ajar, letting in a cold breeze from the sewer tunnels. Leo had done it. There was no other explanation. He had left the lair, probably gone far away, so his brother's wouldn't have to find him. It was such a Leo thing to do…

Raph bit back the lump in his throat. No. NO!! There was no way that he was going to let Leo get away with this. There was still time—he refused to contemplate anything else. Turning on his heel, he marched back into the lair and headed for Donny's room.

"Don. _Donny_! Wake the shell up!"

His olive-green brother blinked owlishly up at him from sleep-fogged eyes. "Whazzat…?" He muttered, then pushed Raph's hand away from his shoulder. "It's five in the morning, Raph, what could possibly be so important that you had to wake me up this early?"

"Leo's gone," he rasped, a bit desperately.

Don raised an eye-ridge. "So?"

"So?!" Raph exploded, then visibly calmed himself. Don hadn't been there for the conversation yesterday. "Leo said some really weird stuff to me last night, it kinda freaked me out. I meant to stay awake all night, just in case, but I musta fell asleep and I woke up in bed and I'm afraid that Leo might've gone and done something stupid."

Don sat up all the way, more awake. "Like what? What did he say?"

Raph's voice dropped. "He said that I could be the leader, that I might be a better leader than even him. I know that he seemed like he was okay after Master Splinter…but, you know Leo…what if…what if…" He couldn't finish.

"What if he wasn't," Don finished softly. He climbed out of bed and laid a hand on Raph's shoulder. "I don't believe Leo would ever do that, Raph. He cares about us too much."

"I know Donny, but he never opens up like that…not with me, anyway."

"I know. That's why we're going to get everybody together and go look for him, okay?" Raph nodded. "Okay, go wake up Mikey and I'll call April and Leatherhead."

Raph did as he was told, and soon the whole motley family was assembled, split into teams, and sent out. They looked all morning, down in the sewers as well as the streets and rooftops. But there was no sign of Leo anywhere. There was no way to track him, either. His shell cell sat on his bedside table where he usually left it. As meticulous as Leonardo was, there was no way he would have left it unless on purpose. Suddenly, Raph's fears seemed a whole lot more plausible to everyone.

This hit home a lot more quickly when Raph found what he had dreaded to find. He was out on the docks with Michelangelo. The afternoon sun slanted from the west, casting lazy shadows out over the harbor. It was barely noticeable, and he wouldn't have seen it had he not been looking so very hard.

Blood. A thin long trail, leading down the wooden dock he was on to the water's edge. He gasped as he saw it, and immediately ran to the edge, peering into the murky depths. The dark water was it's usual muddy brown, obscuring his vision.

A muted thump and a choked gasp alerted him to Mikey's presence. He hurried back to his baby brother's side, aware that he now had to be the strong one. "It's okay, Mikey."

"How is _that_ okay?" Mikey demanded, pointing a shaking finger at the trail. He had been even more on edge than Raph. No one felt emotion more acutely than Michelangelo.

"Okay, it's not, but it could be anyone's, Mike. We need Donny to know for sure."

Mikey's voice rose a notch. "Who's else would it be??"

Raph made his own voice rough. "I dunno, a Foot ninja or an idiot Dragon? We don't catch all the criminals, Mike." Reaching into his belt, he pulled out the tiny swab that Don had given him just in case they found something like this. He'd been surprised at first—but after all, this was Don. His brainy brother looked at all angles, no matter how…distasteful…they might be. Mikey's eyes fixed on the swab, and he looked at Raphael, his expression fearful. "Just in case, Mike. We gotta know." He waited for his brother's nod, and then hurriedly stuck the end of the swab in one of the drops of blood nearest to him. "Okay, let's go."

When they returned to the lair, Don told Raph it would take the rest of the afternoon to analyze the sample. Unable to wait, Raph took Casey and Mike out in the Shell-Sub to scope out the bottom of the East River. They combed the space by the docks, then struck out further, in case the current had moved what they were looking for, but dreading to find. Raph was just beginning to relax when Mikey gave a low, agonized cry.

"What?" Casey demanded.

Mike didn't speak, merely pointed out the port side window, into the water's murky depths. Raph's heart sank. Floating just out of reach of the light, a dark shape bobbed gently in the water. Was it Leo? Could his big brother possibly have…

Abruptly, the youngest of the turtles turned on his heel and marched to the back of the sub, retrieving a scuba tank from the wall, which he began to strap onto himself.

"Mike, what are you doing?" Raph moved from the pilot controls to his brother's side. "Let me go, bro. You don't need to see…whatever it is."

"No." Mikey's voice was firm, but the red-masked ninja could detect a slight quaver in it. "I'm going. I need to…I need to see."

"No, Mike," Raph growled, grabbing his brother by the arm. "Let me handle it. You don't need to see somethin' like that."

Mikey jerked his arm free. "I'm going."

"Mike…"

"Let 'im go, Raph," Casey interjected with unusual somberness. "We all gotta grow up sometime."

Raph let his hand drop. His voice softened. "Are you sure, bro?"

"I'm sure."

"Okay. Just…swim out there and see and come right back, kay?"

Mikey didn't answer, just walked over to the air-lock and pulled the handle. He disappeared inside, and few minutes later, Raph could see him swim out and away from the sub, towards the shadowy shape, dimly illuminated by the sub's lights. Raph and Casey waited in tense silence. Everything in Raphael rebelled against the idea that Mikey was out there, but he couldn't deny the truth of Casey's words. Mike would have to learn to deal with things like this eventually. The hot-tempered turtle scowled. If that was Leo out there, he'd bring him back just to k.ill him again for doing this to all of them. Especially Michelangelo.

Mikey hovered by the motionless shape for a few moments more, then abruptly turned and began swimming back to the sub. Raph waited impatiently. It couldn't have taken more than a few minutes, but it felt like forever before Mikey finally came back in through the airlock, pulling the oxygen mask off of his face.

"Well?" Raph demanded as soon as he could see his brother's features. Mike was pale, but composed.

"Not Leo," his little brother reported. "It's a Foot ninja."

Raph felt his knees go weak. Not Leo. Not his oldest brother out there. That was the best news all day. "See? I told ya it could be somebody else's."

Mike managed a small smile. "Yeah." He sobered, the smile fading. "But we still don't know where Leo is."

"Only way to know for sure is to go talk to Donny," Casey said, reaching out to wrap a muscle-bound arm around each of them. "That blood is probably the Foot's, too. Hey, Leo might be there already."

They returned to the lair about fifteen minutes later. Raph was feeling in higher spirits. However, all hope of that went out the window as soon as he walked into Don's lab space. Leatherhead, April, Honeycutt and Donatello all sat around Don's large worktable. His brainy brother had his head in his hands. April's lips trembled and Leatherhead stared at the sewer floor. Honeycutt was the first to notice them.

"Oh," the metal-bodied professor said softly. "You are back."

Don's head shot up. "Did you find him?"

Raphael stared at all of them for a moment before answering. "No. There was a body in the water, but it belonged to a Foot ninja. What's going on? Why are ya all lookin' like that?"

"The blood," April said softly. "It's Leo's."


	3. Chapter 3

Oookay. Here's chapter three. I have no idea if I like this chapter or not...I wrote it a while ago. Let me know what you think!

* * *

Raph felt as though he'd been punched in the gut. Mikey gave a half-gasp behind him, and Casey cursed quietly under his breath. 

Leatherhead looked up suddenly. "Wait. You said you found the body of a Foot ninja? Perhaps Leonardo got into a fight, and was wounded! He could still be out there somewhere."

That got the others talking. Raph let the theories fly right by him as he thought about everything that had happened in the last eight hours. They all sounded so hopeful, so plausible. He hated to be the one to bring reality back into the conversation. But something just didn't add up.

"Guys," he said. His quiet tone cut through the theorizing like a knife. They all fell silent, turning to stare at him. He cleared his throat and began, roughly. "I know we all wanna believe that Leo's okay. Shell, _I_ wanna believe it. But I can't." Several mouths opened to protest, but he rode right over them. "Leo left without tellin' anyone where he was going. He left the only way to track 'im right here in the sewers. Maybe he got into a fight with that Foot, but how do we know that was the only Foot out there? Maybe Leo couldn't…couldn't…—" he couldn't say it, "—so he decided to let the Foot do it for 'im?"

"But Raph," Don protested.

"But nothin'. Don, he told me I coulda led this team. Leo's never said anythin' like that before. He said if it came down to it, I'd be better than him. He was tryin' to tell me…" A sob slipped out before he could stop it. "I shoulda stayed awake…I shoulda stopped him…"

"What are you all doing in here?"

The voice was so sudden it made them all jump. Raph's head shot up and he stared in disbelief. Standing in the middle of the lair, peering into the lab, Leonardo cocked his head to one side, looking baffled. He held several plastic bags in either hand.

Raph felt the air leave his lungs, and before he realized what was happening, he found himself striding towards his older brother. Then he surprised even himself by reaching back and slugging Leonardo as hard as he could across the jaw. Bags went flying as his leader staggered backwards from the blow, barely catching himself on the edge of the sofa before he could sprawl headlong across the floor. Raph's breath came in ragged gasps, white-hot fury coursing through his veins.

"What the shell is your problem, Raphael??" Leo angrily straightened, reaching down to retrieve the fallen plastic. "Some of this stuff is breakable!"

"What's _my_ problem?!? You've been missing for an _entire day_, Fearless Leader!! First ya spout all this crazy nonsense at me, and then ya disappear without a trace. Then we find _your blood_ on the docks. What were we _supposed_ to think?!?"

Leo blinked at him for a second, clearly confused. "Raph…this isn't the first time I've gone out, you know. You leave all the time. I don't understand what the big deal is."

"Bro, ya practically told me last night that ya didn't wanna be leader anymore! Then you go and leave, no words to anybody, without any way for us to find ya."

"Leo," Don added softly. "I know Master Splinter's death must have been hard for you, but that's no reason to…well…"

"Guys," Leo said slowly. "What are you talking about? I have no idea…" he trailed off as realization dawned. "You think…you think I…" Abruptly he gave a soft chuckle. "Wow. I should have known this would somehow turn into a fiasco. I guess we know each other less than we thought we did, Raph."

Raph glowered. "If ya think you can make light of this to get out a lecture, Fearless—" he began, but Leo cut him off.

"No, Raph. It's nothing like that. I guess I should have been a little clearer. But I wasn't sure what to say. I didn't want to make you angry. You've all been watching me so closely since Splinter died. I thought that maybe you were waiting to see if I would try to take his place or something. I never had any intention of doing so, but I didn't know how to bring it up." Setting the bags down on the floor, Leo moved up to look Raph in the eye. The red-masked turtle watched his brother carefully. Leonardo's face was a study in emotions, more so than he'd ever seen on the ninja's normally reserved features. Chagrin, ruefulness, fond exasperation and amusement made an interesting mix. The anger was completely gone. His oldest brother's voice was earnest as he continued.

"More importantly, I thought you, Raph…that you were watching me to see if I'd slip up. I know you sometimes feel that you are living in my shadow. I thought you were looking for an opportunity to prove yourself…to show all of us what you were made of. I just wanted you to know that you have everything it takes, that you never were less than me, that you've always been my equal. In _everything_, Raph." He gave a slight smile. "Like I said last night, Splinter chose wisely. You see, your independence makes you who you are. It's your strength. It gives you what you need to be the best of yourself. And there was no way that Master Splinter wanted to take that away from you."

"But that's not fair, Leo," Raph protested. "He didn't want to take it away from me, so he took it from you? How's that supposed ta be okay?"

"It _is_ okay. He didn't take anything from me. When he asked me—asked!—to lead you guys, I chose it. I always knew I would. It's who I am. It's _my_ strength." He chuckled softly and shook his head. "It took me a while to really realize that…shell, it took his _death_ to make me realize it…but I never regretted it. I should have told you this last night. I'm sorry."

Raphael was silent for a moment, chewing his brother's words over. _I chose it. _"Master Splinter never asked me."

"I know. Maybe he should have. So now, _I'm_ asking you. Do you want to lead, Raphael?"

For several seconds, silence reigned. Raphael thought hard about being leader. He put himself in Leo's place, tried to imagine being top turtle. What he found surprised him. The red-clad ninja knew he _could_ lead his brothers, if he had to. But he didn't _want_ to. He was content to follow Leo and also think for himself. Raph snorted. "No way, Fearless. That's _your_ job." At his words, the tension melted from the room. Leo grinned at him and he grinned back. It seemed there was still some recovering left to be done from Splinter's death after all. Abruptly, he felt ashamed, as he thought about what had brought them to this conversation in the first place. "Leo, ah…I'm sorry, too. I never shoulda thought that you'd…you know."

"Us, too," April added. "I mean, it's silly, when you think about it…"

Leo opened his mouth to reply, but Mike beat him to it, with surprising vehemence. "Okay. If you didn't leave for _that_ reason, then why'd you disappear? Why did you leave without your shell cell, and why did we find _your_ blood out on the docks?" Raph eyed his brother in orange. Apparently, Michelangelo wasn't ready to let Leo off the hook so easily. A quick glance at his brainy brother told him that Don felt the same way.

Leo sighed. "I really screwed this up, didn't I. I freaked Raph out, who then freaked you out, and then all the crazy circumstances from today added up to the wrong conclusion. Sit down, guys. It's a long story."

* * *

Is anybody OOC? Room for improvement? I want your opinions!! Pretty please? XD 


	4. Chapter 4

Here's Chapter 4 for y'all! Thanks to all you reviewers out there, I appreciate it :D

Disclaimer: I forgot this the last few times so this applies to all my chapters. I don't own the TMNT, but that doesn't mean I can't dream!

* * *

Leo woke up, not to the sound of his alarm, but to the sound of soft snoring. He lay for a full minute, his confused brain trying to figure out how he could be snoring but awake, when it clicked that the sound was coming from another source. Rolling quietly to the side, he reached over to his lone table and clicked on the lamp. 

Blinking in the sudden light, he looked at the far wall of his room and was surprised to see none other than Raphael curled up into a ball on the cold floor. His red-masked brother shivered slightly, and curled tighter. Leo stared for a second, nonplussed. Why in the world was Raphael asleep in his room?

It didn't matter, he decided, as Raph shivered again. His brother couldn't spend the rest of the morning on the frigid floor. With a sigh, he rose to his feet and padded over to his dark green sibling.

"Raph," he said quietly, shaking his shoulder gently. "Wake up."

Raph muttered something unintelligible and curled tighter.

"Raphael," Leo tried again, a little more forcefully.

"What…?" Raph opened his eyes a slit. "Oh Leo…isss you. Whatcha want?"

"I want you to quit sleeping on my floor and to go to bed, hmm?" He levered an arm around his brother and lifted him to his feet. Raph went along sleepily, still not awake. Leo doubted he'd remember this later in the morning. Which, he thought, was probably a good thing. Leo wasn't sure if he _wanted_ to know why his brother was asleep in his room. Then again, it might be good blackmail material later when Raph was being difficult...smothering a grin even though Raph wasn't awake enough to notice, Leo staggered out into the hallway. Raphael was a lot heavier when he wasn't supporting his own weight. With much weaving and irritable muttering, he finally got his red-clad brother into his own hammock. He turned to leave when his brother spoke.

"Leo," Raph's eyes were fully closed and his words slurred with sleep. "Don'…Don't go nowhere, 'kay?"

Leonardo paused for a second, surprised. Don't go anywhere? What was that supposed to mean? Shaking his head, chalking it up to dreams or something, Leo replied, "Everything's okay, Raph." His brother made no response. The blue-masked ninja turned and slipped out, shutting the door softly behind him.

_First he sleeps in my room, and then he tells me not to go anywhere? Was he expecting me to leave or something? Or does he know about…_Leo hoped not. That would ruin everything. He shook his head again and moved down the hallway, stopping at the other two doors that occupied the upper level. Mikey lay in his usual sprawl, legs and arms flung in every direction imaginable, snoring loud enough to be heard on the surface. Don slept in his usual tight ball, his breathing light and soft. Every once in a while, he would roll over, muttering some incoherent equation or formula. Leo smiled as he watched them, assuring himself of their well-being, before moving on with his morning.

He hurried quickly back to his own room, pausing inside long enough to strap on his swords and grab a bundle of clothing, before vaulting off the top of the stairs to the level below. Normally, he'd grab a bowl of cereal and train for an hour or so before his brothers woke up, but today was different. Today, time was of the essence and he had a lot of things to do. He left the lair at a sprint, not noticing as the door bounced lightly on its hinges and stayed open a crack.

It didn't take him long to reach the surface. He spent a few moments at the bottom of the access way putting on the clothes he had retrieved from his room. Good thing it was still cold out—that way no one would question someone bundled up to his eyeballs in gray sweats, a blue parka, and an oversized gray cap. Normally, he would never venture to the surface in the daylight hours, but he needed to be on time, and humans didn't make deliveries at night. He'd considered asking April and Casey to help, but decided that this was something he needed to do on his own.

Satisfied that every suspicious part of him was drowned in the baggy outfit, he climbed quickly up the ladder to the manhole behind April's shop. He slid it off with practiced ease and took a quick glance around. The alley was empty, distant traffic from the street ahead the only sound. He clambered up, a little awkward in the human garments, and was soon making his silent way up the fire escape to the rooftop next to April's building.

Moments later he was running, leaping gracefully from rooftop to rooftop, headed towards the docks. He glanced at the sun, a fiery orange ball in the east. Still early. He'd have plenty of time to complete his task and return home before his brothers began to wonder where he'd gone. The docks stretched out into the murky waters of the river, reflecting muddy sunlight, broken only by the shadows of the warehouses that lined the waterfront. Beyond them sat the ship that was his destination.

Excitement flooded his system as he came to a stop on the last roof before the docks. He'd waited until his brothers were a little more themselves after the loss of Splinter before he had come to this place, but now it was finally time to finish what the old ninja master had started. Their eighteenth birthday was coming up, and Leo knew his sensei had planned something for them. He just hadn't known what until the Ancient One had contacted him, shortly after Splinter's death. Now, he could do one last thing for his father.

Checking the street—it was still early and the only people about were dock workers—Leonardo shimmied down the rain gutter that adorned his current perch. Once on street level he darted across the road, and walked quickly and unobtrusively down the docks. He was almost to his target ship when a voice stopped him.

"Pretty stupid to come out in daylight, freak."

The voice was unfamiliar, coming out of a shadowy recess in an old warehouse to his left. He turned, acting dumb, hoping that he'd misheard. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me." A man moved out of the shadows. Blonde, shoulder length hair framed a young face, smooth cheeks marred by a cruel sneer. He was dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt, complete with a long black trenchcoat that brushed his ankles. Leo didn't recognize his face—but the small insignia printed on one sleeve of his coat spoke volumes. Leo inwardly groaned. _Foot._

"I can tell it's you, freak," the blonde man continued. "You can't hide from the Foot."

"What's the matter, forget your pajamas?" Leo returned. Mikey wasn't there, so somebody had to taunt the idiot. The other ninja's face darkened. The blue-masked turtle shifted slightly, gratified to feel the weight of his swords where they were strapped to either side of his torso, concealed by the parka. This unadorned Foot ninja wouldn't be dumb enough to attack in daylight…would he? Leo watched him warily, just in case.

"You'll pay for that, freak," the man snarled, and produced a long blade from somewhere under his trench coat. He charged.

_Aww, shell, he _would_ be that stupid_, Leo thought. He didn't bother to draw his own weapons—no time—and spun out of the way instead, dropping one leg back to trip up his would-be attacker. The blonde fool fell headlong over his foot, barely managing not to spear himself on his own weapon. An amateur. Or maybe just a Foot wannabe. Leo couldn't imagine Karai recruiting someone like _this._

"Look," Leo began, as the man—no, boy, really, he couldn't be that much older than Leo himself—sputtered incoherently and struggled to his feet. "I don't know who you are or what you're after, but I'll tell you right now, it's not worth it."

"How would you know?" the kid growled. "If I finish you, then I'll finally get the respect I deserve from the Shredder and the Foot."

_Foot wannabe_. Leo wondered where the ninja had acquired his sword. He didn't get to ponder on it long. The kid charged again, swinging with wide slashes, and Leo was forced to back up hurriedly to avoid the long blade. He ducked under one strike, rolled to avoid a second, and turned to meet the third, catching the boy's wrist as the blade flashed inches past his head. Overbalanced, the kid had no time to recover as Leo yanked his arm forward and drove a knee into his midsection.

Leo watched impassively as the black-clad stranger dropped his sword and sank to his knees, breathless. "Take it from me, kid. Go find a new career path. You'll live a lot longer." He turned, started walking away, his attention already on his earlier task.

Too late, he heard the scrape of steel on stone. Too late, he heard the soft running footsteps. _Shell._ He turned on his heel, pulling the parka off one shoulder and drawing a katana at the same time. The kid was running full out, managing to still be nearly silent—_now_ he decides to be ninja-esque—and Leo only had time to bring up his blade before his attacker rammed into him.

Hot fire exploded in the muscles of his neck as the kid's blade sliced across the side of his throat, and he stumbled back, their momentum too much for his stunned muscles to handle. He felt warm wetness trickle down his neck and shoulder, as well as a rush of hot liquid that rushed over his hands. Staggering back, burdened by the kid's suddenly heavy weight, Leonardo couldn't stop himself as his back foot encountered empty air and he and his foe toppled backwards into the cold water. Something hard and unforgiving met his skull, and he spiraled into darkness.

* * *

Another cliffhanger! I need to stop doing that :D 


	5. Chapter 5

Alrighty then people, here's the final installment of Under the Surface. Thanks so much to all who reviewed this story, I really appreciate it! Enjoy!

* * *

Awareness returned slowly, accompanied by a splitting headache that left him nauseous. He didn't move, just lay still on the slightly rocking surface beneath him. Wait. Slightly rocking? Memory returned and he sat up fast, only to immediately regret it as the world spun and all he'd ever eaten decided to make an appearance. It wasn't until he stopped retching over the side of the boat—boat, that's why the world seemed to be rocking—that Leo realized he wasn't alone.

"Feel better?" A quiet voice asked. He looked up to see an old man, dressed in sailor's clothing, watching him with curious, watery blue eyes. His hands instantly went to his head, relieved to find that his concealing cap had remained in place. The parka was gone, but his gray sweatshirt still covered the more obvious places that marked him as a mutant turtle. He managed a sheepish smile for the man.

"Yes, thank you. Much better. Um…what happened?"

"You don't remember?"

"I remember a little." He couldn't very well tell the man what he _did_ remember, not and keep his secrets at the same time. The man's next words, though, made his heart sink.

"You were fighting with another man. I saw him come out of the shadows and attack. You both fell into the water. I came as quick as I could, but you were the only one I could find. You were bleeding, so I took the liberty of patching you up." Leo's hand went to his neck, and sure enough, a rough bandage met his exploring fingers. He'd been so caught up in being nauseous that the pain didn't register until he felt the wound. "Just clean it up when you get home, and you'll be just fine. Oh, I almost forgot…"

The man looked down and started fishing around, so Leo took the opportunity to study his surroundings. He was on a small vessel, a sailboat really, nicely outfitted with blue sails and a white body. He was laying on a leather bench. Apparently, whoever this man was, he'd been out sailing in the river and had seen the scuffle and came to help. Leo inwardly cringed. If the man had pulled him from the water, he had most definitely felt some of Leo's more…interesting…characteristics through the sweatshirt…not to mention the green skin of his neck where the bandage was applied. Lovely.

The man's short cry of triumph interrupted his thoughts. "Here you are. I grabbed this, too. Had a hard time getting you to let go of it. Must be something special, huh?" In his outstretched hand was Leo's katana. Instantly, his hand went to his side, feeling for the other hilt. The hard edge of the second hilt met his fingers and he relaxed. Both his swords were safe. The man was still watching him curiously, so he allowed another smile and sat up, slowly this time. His head still spun, but he no longer wanted to empty his stomach.

"Thank you again," he said, accepting the sword. "Actually, I have two." He paused for a second, waiting for the man to react to what he must know by now, but he didn't. "Uh…sir…well, I…"

The man interrupted him by laughing softly. "You're different, alright. But I don't have to know your whole story, just like you don't have to know mine. I'm just glad I could help. You were just defending yourself, after all."

Leo nodded, grateful. His heart gave a little pang as he remembered how he'd gotten into this mess in the first place. Stupid kid. Why don't they ever listen? He tilted his head back, drawing in the moist air and sighed. "I really don't know how to thank you…" he started, but cut himself off as he noticed where the sun now sat in the sky. Noon. That meant he's probably missed…he whipped his head around, trying to locate the docks. The boat was fairly close to the place where he fell, but to his dismay, the ship that he'd come for was no longer at its place at the docks. "Oh, no."

"What? What's the matter?" the man asked, alarmed.

"I was coming here to pick up an important delivery, but the…mishap…on the docks threw me off schedule. How long was I out?"

"A few hours, at most," the man said. He studied the place where Leo was looking and suddenly brightened. "Actually, the ship you're looking for left only about twenty minutes ago. The wind's right—I can get you out to them pretty quick."

Leonardo turned back to the man. "I…you've done so much already."

"No sweat, kid. You think an old codger like me has anything better to do? Let me help you out. It'll make an old bored man really happy."

* * *

"So I let the man take me out there and got what I came for. Then I went into the city and bought some of the stuff we're out of, eggs and butter. Though I'll probably have to go get more eggs tomorrow, these ones are shot." Leo looked ruefully down at the bag that contained the eggs, dripping slightly with yellow slime.

Raph gave a sheepish laugh. "Sorry about that, bro."

"Don't worry about it. So that's the whole bizarre story. I'm sorry to have worried you."

He blinked as Donatello rose to his feet and moved to his side, tilting his head and studying the white square of bandage that adorned his neck. "Hmm. Well done." He checked Leo's pupils and head as well. "No concussion. You were lucky, bro. Looks like your new friend knew what he was doing."

"He knew a lot more. But I don't think we have to worry about him…something tells me that he's no stranger to keeping secrets."

"So," Mike began hesitantly. "What was so important that you went through all that trouble to get?"

Leo gave a soft smile. "Well, I was going to wait until our eighteenth birthday…but since everyone is here and I'm impatient, I don't think Father will mind." He grabbed the rest of the bags, piling them carefully around his feet. "Master Splinter wanted to give us gifts for our birthday this year, sort of as coming-of-age gifts. He never had the chance to retrieve them, so the Ancient One sent me a letter a week ago asking if I still would like to have them. I agreed and he shipped them out from Japan." Reaching down, he took out the first package.

Mike blinked as Leo held the wrapped item out to him. "Me first?" At Leo's nod, he accepted the gift and slowly un-wrapped it. He caught his breath.

It was a medallion of sorts, roughly about the size of his palm. A brilliant sun was emblazoned across the front, carved with great care out of pure gold. He ran a finger over its delicate surface, speechless.

"This is the symbol of Light, Michelangelo," Leonardo said quietly. "Hope, happiness, contentment. Laughter. Love. It represents you, and what you bring to our family. Splinter-sensei wanted to make sure that you always remembered that, no matter where life takes you from here." He reached into the next bag and drew out a second package, which he handed to Don.

Don carefully opened it, with shaking fingers. In his palm rested a second medallion. Across its surface, a crane spread its wings to the sky, seeming ready to fly that second into the growing storm clouds that lined the far edge. Don ran his fingers over the surface of the purple quartz. "It's beautiful."

"The symbol of Peace," Leo continued. "Carved with the symbol of the peace crane, prepared to face the coming storms and bring order to adversity. Just like you bring peace to this family, Donatello, and how you use your knowledge and skills to bring order to this chaotic family of ours." He pulled out a third package and handed it to a suddenly nervous Raphael.

Slowly, the red-clad ninja unwound the simple brown paper to reveal his own medallion. Red as the rubies it was made of, fire danced across the surface, carved with such precision it seemed as though the flames flickered in his palm. He touched it, half expecting it to feel warm in his hand.

"Like I told you last night, this is the symbol of Fire." Leo met Raphael's eyes. "Passion, loyalty, and freedom. The ability to grant life, and take it away. Controlled, and uncontrollable. A bastion of strength, and power." Leo smiled. "You."

Raphael didn't know what to say. For a long while there was silence, as the three younger brothers tried to come to terms with their father's gift and their oldest brother's words. Uncharacteristic tears threatened Raph's eyes, and he fought them back, clutching the medallion tighter. "He…he made these?"

"With his own hands." Leonardo looked around at them all, and gave a deep sigh. "I'm so glad I could give them to you. It would have made him very happy."

"Wait, Leo!" Mikey said suddenly. "What about you? Didn't he make one for you?"

Raph looked down at the bags at his brother's feet and sure enough, a fourth package rested there. Leo reached down and lifted it up, unwrapping it with his usual careful precision. Raph looked closely at the medallion.

Carved of out of the deepest blue sapphire he'd ever seen, it was carved to look like the waves of the ocean. Just as his own ruby flame seemed to flicker in his hand, Leo's medallion seemed to be made of shifting water, the shadows created giving it life in his elder brother's palm. Leonardo stared down at it, smiling faintly.

"What's it mean, Leo?" Mikey broke the silence hesitantly.

"It's the symbol of Wisdom," Leo replied softly. "Water is ever-changing, ever-flowing. It pushes past all barriers, overcomes all obstacles. It adapts, it becomes new while remaining, in its deepest levels, the same." He laughed softly. "And Splinter applied it to me."

"But it _is_ you, Leo," Raph said quietly. "You were right. Splinter knew us better than we knew ourselves." Leo met his gaze again and long moment of understanding passed between them. Raph realized he would always worry about Leo, about Mike and Don, and they him, but never for the reason that had crossed his mind in the last two days. That, he decided, was the best gift of all.

* * *

I had the hardest time ending this story. Don't you hate it when that happens? Now, I want your opinions--honest ones, mind--what do you think? I haven't had much feedback on this last chapter from before. I wrote it in one shot--and I have no idea where the OC came from, lol. Should I change it? Should I change the gifts? Tell me--pretty please?

As always, thanks for reading :D


End file.
